About Me
About Me
Hello, My name is Steve Adams and I have been teaching at Mountain Pointe since 1992. Every year I look forward to the new school year and all of the new faces that come through the door of my classroom. Currently I am teaching Photography 1-6 and Advanced Art including Honors. My goal in each class is to challenge all students to go beyond what they already know and to grow as artists. This requires hard work and dedication, but in the end it is rewarding to see the results.
Education
My family moved to Arizona in 1976 from California. I had a brief visit to Mississippi before starting my sixth grade year at Holdeman Elementary School in Tempe. I finished out the Sixth Grade at Alma Elementary School in Mesa where my family built a brand new home. I attended Rhodes Junior High and then onto Dobson High School where I Graduated in 1984. At Dobson, I participated in various clubs and activities, including Art Club, Spirit Club, Literary Magazine and the Mayors Youth Committee. I also was a manager for my high schools football team which lead me onto ASU.
College Years
I attended college at Arizona State in the fall of 1984. I received a Scholarship to work with the ASU Football team as a field manager. I spent four seasons there until 1989 when I graduated with a BFA in Art Education.I started working toward my Masters degree in 1990. When I started teaching in 1992, I slowed down a little to focus on my career and finished my Masters in Education in 1999. I currently continue to take Masters Level courses to improve myself in the classroom and my knowledge base for my students.
Teaching Philosophy
I teach mainly studio or lab based classes. A tremendous amount of work goes into the prep and planning for these classes over the summer, during breaks and at night before the next school day starts. I believe that students cannot learn if they don't have the opportunity to explore and participate in the process for themselves. I do not lecture much, rather I demonstrate and give students the guidance they need in class to be successful. Rather than being the "Sage on the stage, I am a guide on the side."
I also believe that failure is a part of being successful. I know that some students will not do everything correctly the very first time and I never punish them for it. Rather, I expect students to turn failure into success, turn it around and try again until success comes. When we are faced with failure in class as well as in life, we must pick ourselves up and persevere through difficulty. Every student has the capacity to do anything they set their mind to. Finding the patients and energy to do what's necessary is the challenge.
Thomas Edison once said...
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up"
I expect my students not to give up and keep trying, even when faced with initial failure. Asking for help, working with others and doing their best, is always the best remedy. I make it possible for students to succeed in my classrooms if they work hard and don't give up.
My Family
I have two children, Jared and Ethan. they are my pride and joy, the highlight of my life. They are five years apart and I can always count on them to teach me something new everyday. I married my wife Crystal in February of 2018 in Las Vegas.
